


Infected

by FreyReh



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Captain Canary, F/M, Zombie AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2018-07-12 22:10:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7124317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreyReh/pseuds/FreyReh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zombie!AU: Millions around the world started taking a pill developed by S.T.A.R. Labs called FLASH that was said to not only give you nutrients, but even make way in curing cancer and other illnesses. However, the pill that worked very well at first, started killing those taking it... Unfortunately, they didn't all stay dead... Sara, Leonard, and Lisa meet and fight to survive in the new world filled with zombies and people out for themselves. WARNINGS: Violence, Lang, Sexual Situations</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

note: [@m-mimima](https://tmblr.co/megQHntxUOXcfTomHVQsK6g) requested a zombie!captain canary au and i’ve decided to make this a multi-chapter. not sure how many parts. as if i don’t already have enough WIPs!!! but i love this prompt! :)

dis: i don’t own lot

**March 2016**

Dr. Harrison Wells made an announcement that S.T.A.R. Labs have created the ultimate vitamin. _Flash_ is a vitamin that doesn’t just give you the nutrients you need, but it also helps strengthen antibodies and fights against harmful bacteria and viruses. It is a formula that is one day rumored to be a stepping stone in treating cancer and even the HIV virus. Millions around the world start taking the pill that is endorsed by famous celebrities, athletes, and doctors. Charities are created by the Wayne Foundation, Luthor Corp, and other large names to accept donations to help send this beneficial drug to those in need in on _every_ continent.

.

.

.

**May 2016**

Doctors are stunned over the increasing cases of what seems to be the flu. The first few deaths don’t raise any red flags right away. The announcement to get your flu shots increase as high fevers, nausea, and vomiting become a common occurrence around the globe. The patients that come in sick aren’t responded to any treatments. As more deaths are recorded, they all have one similarity. The miracle drug from S.T.A.R. Labs. _Flash_. The same doctors that recommended the drug, quickly started telling their patients to not take the drug and bottles were quickly pulled from the shelves but it was already too late…

Soon, the patient’s weren’t just dying…

_They were coming back._

_._

_._

_._

**June 2016**

Her father had told her to stay in her apartment. To keep her doors and windows locked and that he’d come find her. But that had been a week ago and still he wasn’t here. The power had gone out two days ago but she’d had enough food and water to last her a while. She had a gun, a .38 her father had bought her after she’d been adamant about living on her own in the big city. She was grateful for it now as she listened to the screams just outside her door. She knew the world was falling apart, which was why she kept her door barred instead of answering those crying out for help.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

“Sara?” called out a familiar voice on the other side of the door. Sara quickly answered, pulling in her sister before locking the door again. Laurel looked shaken, and had a light sheen of sweat on her brow. The two sisters embraced once Sara secured the door. “Thank God!”

“Laurel, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know…” Laurel put her hand to her head, looking like she was feeling dizzy, and so Sara guided her to her sofa. “I don’t know Sara, but… I’ve seen some things. Some things that I never thought would ever be possible.”

“Laurel… I’m scared… Have you heard from Dad?”

“No…” Laurel lowered the small backpack she’d slipped on and let it drop to the floor before sitting. Sara grabbed one of the few water bottles still remaining in her apartment and handed it to her. Laurel eagerly drank half the water bottle, then stopped to conserve the rest. “I haven’t.”

“It’s those pills… The ones from the news that everyone was asked to stop taking… Isn’t it?”

“I really don’t know, Sara,” said Laurel softly, head lowering as she looked down at the floor.

“Did you take those pills, Laurel?” 

“Sara…” said Laurel in an almost whimper. 

“Did you?”

“Yes…” Laurel rubbed her hands over her face. “But I feel _fine_.”

“You sure?” asked Sara, taking in the sweaty brow and pale skin.

“I’m sure…”

.

.

.

**July 2016**

“Lenny? I’m tired.”

“I know, Lisa.”

“How much further?”

“Just a few more blocks, then we can rest, okay?”

Leonard Snart looked back at his younger sister with a promise in his eyes that everything was going to be okay. Her tired eyes met his and she nodded. She adjusted the pack on her back and winced. He knew what muscles ached because he was going through the same thing. He had blisters already forming on his feet from walking so much, and his muscles burned every time they had to move.

The world had gone to hell.

Zombies. Fucking zombies. He’d have never believed it. Never imagined such a horror ever happening in any instance outside of the movies. All of it because of some damn pill people wanted to take to be healthy. He thanked his lucky stars that Lisa never took them. He’d found them in her medicine cabinet, the seal still on them, and tossed them in the trash right when the first warning aired. She had rolled her eyes, telling him he was overreacting, but had listened.

“Okay,” she said softly, pulling her hair out of its messy bun and redoing it. Leonard had wanted her to cut it all off. She’d scoffed at him and had said no but relented in wearing it up. They were covered head to toe. Despite the assurances that whatever created these zombies wasn’t transferred by their bite, Leonard could never be too careful, especially when the same people who said that were the same ones that created this mess in the first place.

Leonard stopped, back pressed to a brick wall of an older barber shop, and held up his hand. He brought his finger to his lips and Lisa nodded before he turned to peek around the corner. There were three of them, snarling and walking slowly, the dead look in their clouded over eyes. Three were manageable.  He didn’t like his sister fighting these things but he had no choice. He held up his hand to indicate three and she nodded, pulling out a large knife.

Bullets attracted them.

“Go,” he said, coming around the corner. They ran at him and he backed up further into the street. Lisa hugged the wall and when the last ran by she quickly stabbed it in the back of the head. It had once been a woman in a sky blue dress. Now it was just a rotting corpse in the street. Lisa backed up as one faced her. Leonard had his own weapon out while engaging his target. A large one who had been an overweight man. It was a bit slower, but looked heavy as hell. If it got him on the ground he’d be in trouble so Leonard kept his movements quick. He dodged as it lashed out then brought his knife up to the side of its head. He winced as bone and rotted flesh came into contact with his skin, and wiped it on the leg of his pants.

A few months in juvie taught him a lot. Growing up with an old man that liked to knock him around had, too. He knew how to handle himself in a fight. Lisa, however, was still learning. She tripped over the curb and landed on her back. Leonard had a fleeting moment of panic as he saw the zombie lunge at her but suddenly there was a whirlwind of black, a flash of silver, and the zombie was laying dead at the feet of a small blonde woman. Lisa scrambled to her feet and ran to Leonard, hugging him tight and he looked down at her to make sure she was all right before looking up at the woman.

“Thank-” She cut off his gratitude by raising a gun at him. He closed his mouth and Lisa gasped before burrowing herself in her brother’s arms. 

“You two sick?” she asked, eyeing them warily. 

“No,” he said flatly. “Can you put that down? You’re making me and my sister nervous here. I doubt you’d want to save us only to kill us.”

She lowered the gun a fraction, blue eyes taking in their surroundings. “It’s not safe out here.”

“We _know_ ,” he said, his voice a low drawl of annoyance. “Hence why we were headed that way.”

“It’s _worse_ there,” she said. 

Shit. He had an old contact in that part of the city. He’d been hoping…

“Come on,” she said, holstering her weapon. “Follow me.”

“You expect us to follow you after you pointed a gun at us?” asked Lisa, her bravado coming out. 

“You don’t have to follow me. You can stay out here. And die.” The girl shrugged. “The choice is yours.”

She started walking and they shared a look before following. She ducked into an alleyway then headed up a fire escape. All of them kept their steps light. When they got to the top floor window they all crawled in. The woman was already lighting a couple candles as Leonard closed the window and let the curtains fall over it.

“I’m sorry,” said the girl, looking up at them now. “Nowadays you can’t be too careful. I had to make sure neither of you had the fever.“

“We don’t,” assured Leonard. 

“Okay…I’m Sara, by the way,” said the girl, pulling off her black jacket to reveal toned arms and a tank-top with a frayed hem. 

“Leonard. This is Lisa.”

Sara nodded. “Only been in this place a day. There’s water. A couple cans of food. Help yourself. I need to make a run in the morning.”

“Why did you help us?” asked Leonard. “You could have let us die…”

Sara’s eyes drifted to Lisa, a sad look overcoming her face before she looked to Leonard. “You reminded me of someone.”

That was all she said before she turned her back to them and closed herself into the bedroom.

“Well… She’s friendly,” said Lisa holding up two cans of food. “Beans and pineapple?”

.

.

.

So i’m thinking there will be another part to this…


	2. Two

dis: i don’t own lot

.

.

.

His eyes opened after being awakened by the sound of someone moving in the small apartment. He tensed for a moment, hand reaching for the weapon he had by his side, and only relaxed when his eyes took in Sara standing at the window and looking out. With a grunt he sat up from the floor he’d been sleeping on, his neck feeling stiff as he rubbed at the back of it. The thin pillow Lisa had tossed at him from the sofa hadn’t done much to support his head. He rubbed his eyes, wiping the sleep away before standing. Lisa was still asleep, curled up around the other thin pillow that had been on the sofa. 

“Bathroom is down that way,” said Sara, pointing down the hall. “Water is in there for flushing the toilet if you take more than just a piss.”

“Got it,” he said, going into the bathroom. He did his business, grabbing one of the unopened waters to  drink before heading out to the main room. Sara was slowly easing the window open. “Where you going?”

“Supply run.”

“I’ll come with you.” She gave him a skeptical look. “Look there’s three of us. You really think you can carry it all?”

“To be honest I was going to just look for me,” said Sara, making him almost glare at her. “What? I didn’t think you’d be sticking around.”

He grabbed his bag and emptied it. He put his hand on Lisa’s shoulder, telling her that he was going to leave for a while. She just nodded before falling back asleep. Unsure, he left a note to be safe, so that she didn’t wake up and panic and wonder where he was. Sara patiently waited for him and soon they were going down to the street.  The Zombies weren’t as active during the day. People weren’t sure if it was the sun or the heat, but they were less likely to chase you or notice you if you were quiet and stayed a good distance away. It was during the night that they chased anything that moved with snapping jaws and clawed hands. 

“I’ve already hit up a large amount of places in this area. There are others, like us, who loot. They mind their own business and don’t bother me. So they won’t bother you. Sometimes those who are picky leave good things behind. Our big concern is water now.”

“I got it,” said Leonard, hand on the holster of his gun, eyes searching the area for movements. Down the street he counted five, but Sara turned before getting within their sights. She knew this area well, and so he followed her lead. They eased between a section of fence that had been cut and came to a different street. Sara held up two fingers before sliding her hand down her side and pulling out a dagger. She nodded and they walked out together. The Zombies had their backs to them, so they didn’t see Sara and Leonard coming until it was too late. Both of them flicked their knives to get the gunk off of them, wiping their blades on the tattered fabric of the zombie’s clothes. 

“This way,” she said, crossing the street. They came upon what looked to be a bar and she found the side door. She’d been ready to kick it in but Leonard held up a hand. “What?”

“How about a quiet approach?” he asked, trying the door. It was locked so he dug into his pockets and pulled out his lock-picking kit. 

“Ohh… Someone was a bad boy in his previous life,” commented Sara with a grin, leaning her back against the building as he got to work. 

“Thief. You?” he asked as the door eased open after only a few seconds. 

“Cop’s daughter,” said Sara making him laugh a little at the irony. 

“And?” he prompted. 

“Bartender,” she said. “Tried the whole college thing and it didn’t work out.”

“Who’s your father?” he asked as they walked into the dim bar. They were making noise to attract anything that could be in the bar but there was no one around. “Maybe I know him.”

“Captain Quentin Lance,” said Sara before turning somber. “I’m not sure where he’s at. He said he wanted to met at my apartment but… Things happened and I had to get out of there. I’m not sure if he’s dead or alive.”

“Lisa is all I have.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, meaning it. 

“Honestly? She was all I had before this shit-storm happened,” he said. He watched as Sara went behind the bar and lifted a brow as she grabbed a couple bottles. 

“Great for disinfectant,” she said before shrugging a shoulder, putting the bottles in her large bag. “Or a crummy night. The kitchen is back here. Don’t even think about opening the fridge or freezer. I made that mistake once.”

“Noted,” said Leonard. Together they went through the pantry. They didn’t find much in the bar. Some olives and pickles that were sealed, coffee that was probably consumed by the owner for late nights balancing the books, and other little odds and ends that didn’t hold much sustenance. So they moved on. They entered a drugstore that had already been ransacked but found a couple boxes of crackers, a bag of chocolate chips hidden under some debris, and some other packaged goods along with some personal supplies. “See any water?”

“No,” said Sara, sounding disappointed. “Found some Snapple. Guess that’s better than nothing. And a can of Diet Coke.”

“Oh well my day just got better,” said Leonard and Sara looked behind her to see him holding up a jar of peanut butter. “This will go good with those crackers you found.”

“My mouth is already watering,” she teased as voices started drifting their way. They made eye contact before falling back into the back of the store. They waited as two men came into the store and Sara straightened when she saw who they were. “Barry? Cisco?”

“Sara! Hey,” said Cisco. 

“You okay?” asked Sara, noticing how out of breath they were. 

“Had to outrun a whole pack of those things a bit ago,” said Barry as he put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “It was close.”

“Too close, man,” said Cisco before taking in Leonard. “Not everyone can run as fast as you can. Hey, who’s that?”

“This is Leonard. He and his sister are staying with me,” said Sara, noticing how quiet Leonard was behind her. 

“Seriously?” asked Cisco, earning an elbow from Barry. “Sorry man, no offense, its just that we’ve been offering Sara a spot for a while and was always told the same thing. That she wanted to be left alone.”

“Standing right here, Cisco,” said Sara, sounding annoyed. 

“Sorry… So anything good left in here?”

“No water,” said Sara. “That’s what we need the most.”

“A bunch of it on Mertle street. That little coffee place? It’s where we went last when we needed it. It’s a hot area though. Keep it as a last resort,” said Barry.

“How is Carolina?” asked Sara. 

“Not sure,” said Cisco. 

“Leonard and I will check that out next,” said Sara. “Might go door to door. The place I’m at now is good but, might as well go shopping for the next.”

They said their goodbyes and Leonard followed her out the front of the store. He hadn’t said a thing around Barry and Cisco and Sara halted in front of the store before turning to him. 

“You good?”

“Not a fan of chit-chat,” he said, leaving it at that. “So.. Carolina?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

.

.

.

They managed to find water in a few of the homes they entered and filled their packs as full as they could with it. Leonard also tucked some bottles in his pants pockets and held onto even more, same as Sara. If they needed to get into a scuffle all they had to do was drop the water bottles but they ended up getting lucky. They made it to the apartment and Lisa was sitting up on the sofa looking at an old magazine as they came in. 

“Lenny! There you are!”

“Come take this, Sis,” he said outside the window. She did as asked and soon he and Sara were crawling in and closing the window behind them. The apartment was warming up quickly and Sara discarded her outer layers. Normally she would walk around in just a tank and panties if she was too hot but now that she had guests she couldn’t. She searched the clothes in the apartment and found some jean shorts that fit her just right. She grabbed some other clothes and handed them to Lisa. 

“Here, if you want a change.”

“Oh thank God. Can… Can I use some of that water to wash up?” asked Lisa. 

“Two bottles,” said Sara. “That’s fine.”

“Okay,” said Lisa, rushing to the bathroom. 

“Sadly there are no boy clothes here,” said Sara, eyeing Leonard’s dingy clothing. “You could try across the hall?”

“You saying I stink, Sara?”

“Maybe a little.”

.

.

.

 Leonard found some clothes, leaving the stained ones behind. He had on a fresh black thermal and a pair of jeans he’d already had in his pack. Sara was eyeing him as she and Lisa started spreading peanut butter over the crackers. 

“Aren’t you hot in that?” asked Sara. 

“It’s fine,” he said, not saying much else. Sara shrugged a shoulder before offering plates of crackers with peanut butter, olives, chocolate chips, and some granola she had from another run. It wasn’t much but Leonard took it. He never was one to complain when he had food in his stomach. Growing up, he’d gone plenty of nights without eating a thing all day, so it could be much worse. 

They ate in silence, splitting that one can of Diet Coke between the three of them. After, they all found their own thing to do. Leonard had a book in his pack and started reading that, thumbing through the pages. Lisa had found magazines and was reading those while Sara went to the bedroom. She didn’t close the door but neither Leonard or Lisa followed her. When the sun started to set they broke into the pickles for dinner, shared the Snapple, and had more of the crackers and peanut butter. Sara also pulled out a can of green beans. When Lisa looked to be ready to sleep, Sara retreated to her room. Leonard had been ready to sleep himself until Sara came back with a bottle of the booze they’d procured. She shook it in invitation, quirking a brow at him. He rose from his spot with one last look at Lisa before following Sara into her room. He closed the door behind him. She had her windows wide open, but there was no way for anything to get in them since it was a straight drop to the street. She had one candle lit and sitting on a side table was a stack of cards. She took a seat at the head of the bed, opening the bottle as he settled at the foot. 

“Where are you from, Leonard?”

“Central City. You?”

“Star City, but I was living here during the start of the attack.” Sara took a long pull from the bottle before passing it to him. The alcohol warmed her stomach and burned her throat. It was relaxing her and he took his own drink, eyes on her the whole time. “My mother was here. She… She didn’t make it.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Sara smiled. “It’s okay. My sister died, too. Came to me here, looking for refuge but… She didn’t last two days before turning. I woke up one morning, came out of my room to find her…” She looked away. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”

“I get it,” said Leonard. “If Lisa…” He sighed. “I found the pills in her cabinet and I think about it every night before going to sleep that I could have lost her… Again, I’m sorry Sara…”

They sat in silence for a minute before Sara reached for the cards, done with the awkward silence and pity-party. 

“You play?”

“What’s the game?” he asked. 

“Gin?” she asked. 

“Sure,” he answered, fiddling with the sleeves of his shirt. 

“You can take it off if you’re hot, Leonard.”

“I’m fine,” he said with a sigh. 

She wanted to know what he was hiding. Why he’d rather suffer in the heat than take off his shirt, but she didn’t push. She just shrugged before dealing. Soon, the cool breeze from the night air made the temperature more comfortable. Leonard opened the door a crack so that the cool air could filter into the main room where Lisa was. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed up playing cards. All he knew that it was nice, for once, to not feel fear of what tomorrow would bring. When Sara yawned he decided to call it a night, rising from the comfortable bed, dreading his spot on the floor. What he didn’t know was that Sara had almost let her loneliness get the best of her. Almost offered him the chance to stay the night with her instead of the hard floor. 

 _Almost_. 

Instead, she told him to leave the door open, using the cool air as an excuse to feel close to someone for the first time in months. 

**TBC…**


	3. Three

dis: i don’t own LOT

Leonard woke up to the feel of someone shaking his shoulder. Snapping his eyes open he saw Sara crouched next to him. She placed a finger on her lips, indicating that he needed to be quiet and he nodded while she slid her hand off his shoulder. She then pointed down toward the floor. Within a few moments he heard something move below them. 

 _‘Zombies?’_ he mouthed. 

Sara shook her head. She looked up at Lisa, who was still sleeping, and frowned before looking back down at him, whispering: “Rogues.”

 

“What’s a Rogue?” he asked. 

“Rough crowd. Normally I’d split but you two are here. Not sure we’d get out quietly.” 

The movement changed. Heavy footsteps went up the stairwell and both of them tensed. Leonard got up and shook Lisa awake. Lisa slowly came out of her dreams, she never was a morning person, and Leonard indicated for her to be quiet. 

“What’s going on?”

“Shh, Lisa,” whispered Leonard. “Grab your stuff. We need to go.”

“Okay...” 

They grabbed what they could. Mostly water and food. When all three had their packs on the Rogues were at their door, trying it. The thing is, if one came to an open door, there normally wasn’t much to find on the other side. Now a locked door? A locked door meant there was something worth protecting. They ushered Lisa to the window first. Just as she exited the door was kicked in and both Leonard and Sara raised their weapons at the man who was aiming a shotgun at- 

“Leonard?” 

Leonard slightly lowered his gun. “Mick.”

“You _know_ him?” asked Sara, anxious, keeping her weapon trained on him. 

“Mick?” asked Lisa, poking her head back in, a smile brightening up her face. “Mick! You’re alive!”

“What do you got in here, Boss Man?” asked a man that looked in. He grinned upon seeing Sara and Lisa. A type of grin that had Sara training her gun on HIM instead of Mick. 

“Old friends, Harley,” said Mick. “So move on to the next door.”

“But-” started Harley. Sara knew what he wanted to do and she was already thinking of ways to slit his throat. Normally she’d never ever consider killing someone, but it was a new world out there. A new world filled with monsters worse than the zombies. 

“GO.”

“Sure thing,” said Harley, winking at Sara, before calling out to the boys that the boss was handling a room of “ _fresh meat_ ”. Sara heard the whoops and hollers and she knew for a fact that there was no way in hell she was sticking around. 

“Leonard Snart,” said Mick, putting the shotgun over his shoulder. Sara lowered her weapon but kept it in her hand. “Been a while. Good to see you didn’t take those pills or were eaten by those freaks.”

“What are you up to Mick?” asked Snart. 

“Just trying to keep my head above water,” said Mick before looking to Sara. “Who’s she?”

“She saved us, Mick,” said Lisa. “She’s a friend.”

Mick nodded. “You should join us.” Sara snorted and Mick chuckled. “Don’t worry about Harley.”

“Trust me. I’m not,” said Sara, now holstering her weapon. “I’m out.”

“Sara come with us!” invited Lisa. 

“If I wanted to be in a group, I wouldn’t choose this one.” Sara looked at Leonard, a frown on her face. “You stayin?”

“Yeah,” said Leonard, having known Mick he trusted him. “I am.”

Sara nodded. “Well. Good luck then.”

Then, Sara was gone, and for some reason there was a part of Leonard that wanted to follow. Mick’s boisterous laugh distracted him, though, and soon Leonard was being clapped on the shoulder as he was lead around being introduced to Mick’s crew. He noticed the way Lisa shied to his side, holding onto his jacket tightly, and suddenly he was regretting bringing her into the Rogues. Despite Mick smacking anyone with a smart mouth and telling them hands off his sister---Leonard wasn’t so sure how long that was going to last. 

Maybe he should have gone with Sara...

.

.

.

“Idiot,” muttered Sara as she rushed down the street. The more space she put between the Rogues and her the better. Along the way she killed zombies if they got too close. She didn’t use her gun, not wanting to bring ANY form of attention on her. She stopped when she saw a familiar pair of red sneakers sticking out from behind a dumpster. She frowned before rushing forward, thinking the worst. When she came to his side she sighed in relief when she saw he was still breathing, but had a nasty gash above his eye. She looked around before grabbing him under the arms and dragging him to the nearest door. Kicking it open she let it close behind them as she lay him on some empty pallets. 

She wanted to keep moving. To keep putting distance between her and where she’d just been. But this guy had helped her out too many times for her to ever leave him behind. She wasn’t sure why she was suddenly feeling the need to help people. She had no one left in the world, so why couldn’t she just be selfish? 

Sara moved to quickly secure the door then sat beside him. She dug in her bag for a bottle of water and some granola. Barry started groaning ten minutes later. He sat up with a start, bringing his hand up to his head and wincing in pain. 

“Hey,” said Sara softly, making him look at her. 

“Ah... Hey... _Ow_...”

“What happened?” asked Sara, offering the rest of her water. He took the bottle and eagerly drank it. He moved to stop but she motioned for him to finish it. When he did he spoke.  

“I don’t know. I was on a run and I got hit from behind,” said Barry, tossing the bottle to the floor. 

“Probably the Rogues. They busted in on me this morning.”

“You okay?” asked Barry, looking her over in concern. 

“Yeah. I’m fine,” she said with a shrug. “I got out of there as fast as I could.”

“Where’s that guy you were with?” asked Barry. 

“He opted to stay with them,” said Sara, jaw tightening as she looked down at her hands. “Him _and_ his sister.”

“What? _Why_?” asked Barry, knowing full-well what happened to women who were around that crew. The Rogues had the worst reputation in the area. They took what they wanted WHEN they wanted it. Whether you were okay with it or not. In all honesty he was lucky to be alive. The Rogues have killed people for a lot less than a case of water. 

“Apparently he knew the leader. Mick? They go back.”

“Damn. That sucks.” Barry winced once more, hand going to his head. “You know what else sucks? Running ten blocks with a case of water then having it taken from you!”

Sara winced, feeling sympathy for the runner as he slowly stood. He stumbled a little and she sighed, standing from her spot on the floor and shouldering her bag. “C’mon. I’ll walk you back to your place.”

“You don’t have-”

“Barry. I want to. Besides, you’ve been trying to get me to go there for weeks. Might as well check it out now that my old place is compromised.”

“Yeah. Sure. Okay, let’s go.”

.

.

.

“Barry!” 

A young woman came rushing forward to envelope Barry in a tight hug. Sara stepped aside as the woman took in his bruises. Sara could easily see the concern the woman had for the runner and a small part of her grew bitter because of it. She had no one left in the world who would care if she lived or died. 

“Iris,” said Barry, relief in his voice as he hugged her again, eyes closing as he did so. “It’s good to see you.”

“What happened?” she asked before looking at Sara. “Who is she?”

“The Rogues happened. And this...” Barry reached out and cupped her shoulder, giving it a thankful squeeze. “Is Sara. She helped me out.”

“Sara...” Iris nodded. “The “ _hot blond_ e” Cisco is always talking about?”

“Ignore her,” said Cisco as he rushed forward. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Hi Sara! What brings you---Oh. Man! What happened, Barry?”

“Rogues.”

“Better let Cait look at that,” said Cisco before looking to Sara. “So, Sara, welcome to our haven! It’s not much but, hey, we make it work.”

Sara had to admit she was surprised. The last place she’d thought would be considered a haven, would be the place that started this mess. S.T.A.R. labs had an eerie feel to it but it was housing many people. Sara could see men, women, and children of many ages. Her eyes eventually made it back to Cisco and she smiled. 

“Last place I’d expect.”

“Yeah. It works out better that way,” said Cisco. “So, let me give you the tour. This is our main base of operations here. We monitor the frequencies. If we hear a call for help we’ll check it out. The Rogues are using shot-range radios so if they get close we can lock the place down.”

“You have power here...” Sara looked at the computers.

“Limited power,” said Cisco. “We run mostly on solar, here. We still need to go on runs for food but...”

“If I’d had known you had power I might have joined sooner,” said Sara with a smirk. 

“Well, we don’t want to broadcast how well we have it here,” said Cisco. “Especially to people like the Rogues.”

“Yeah,” said Sara. “I can see why.”

“CISCO!” Sara turned to see a man with glasses and stunning blue eyes rush forward holding a piece of machinery. “What the hell is this?”

“THAT, my friend, is the key to us not having to go on runs ever again.” Cisco grabbed the machinery away from him. “You better not have broken it!”

“I told you it won’t work,” said the man. “The virus-”

“Look, man, at the very least I can get a vaccine made so then if someone DOES take those pills of yours-”

“Wait...” Sara held up a hand. “YOU are the one who made those pills?”

Sara felt a sudden bolt of rage fill her body as she stared down the man who was responsible for killing her sister... And probably her father. Her hands clenched into dual fists and before her brain could tell her to stop she punched the man. The solid hit had him on the ground, cupping his jaw while Cisco did his best to get between them. 

“Sara stop!”

“That asshole killed my family!” she shouted, getting the attention of everyone in the room who probably thought the same. So why hadn’t they done something to him yet? “And other families. And he’s HERE?!”

“He’s trying to help,” said Cisco. “Okay? He’s been helping.”

“I can’t be here,” said Sara, turning on her heel. Power be damned she refused to be in the same building as that asshole. She started for the exit and a bandaged Barry rushed after her. 

“Sara, wait, _please_ ,” he said, grabbing at her hand and she yanked it back, twisting on her heel to stare him and Cisco down. Both men took a step back, a flash of fear in their eyes at the boiling rage they saw in her. “All I ask is for one night. One night for you to see what we do and why this place is important.”

“If all else we can get you a room for the night,” said Cisco. “Hot meal, shower...”

Sara crossed her arms over her chest and her eyes flickered to Harrison Wells before going back to the duo. She had to admit they were good people. And she had to know why it was they stuck with the guy that got them in this mess in the first place. 

If all else... She could REALLY go for a shower. 

“One night,” she said, holding up one finger. “You get _one_ night.”

“Yes!” shouted Cisco with a clap of his hands before he looked over his shoulder. “But can I say that you knocking him on his ass was _amazing_! You know how many times I’ve wanted to do that?!”

.

.

.

Sara had taken a smaller room. Despite the amount of people in the building, there were many rooms still open. The bathrooms were shared, however, and Sara had to wait her turn for a shower. She hadn’t even cared that the water wasn’t that warm. She’d asked why they bothered grabbing water on their runs and she’d been told that the supply was still limited, and that it was always good to have extra. 

It made sense, she guessed, just like it made sense that they still looked for food despite having a large garden. Sara had been handed a plate filled with vegetables and fruits. She’d devoured them along with a soda, before returning to her room. She lay on her make-shift bed, listening to the hum of the fans circulating air in her room, and her thoughts went to Leonard and Lisa. She hoped that they were okay. She told herself not to care but she couldn’t help it. She did. 

Rolling over onto her side she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, preparing herself for a day of introductions tomorrow... And deciding if she wanted to stay.

.

.

.

“I don’t like it here, Lenny,” said Lisa softly as they sat together and had some food. It was baked beans mixed with some sort of tough meat. Neither asked what the meat, just ate it... It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t that great either. Lisa made a face as she took a small sip of water from the tin cup that had been offered to her from that creep that’d been looking at her since he’d first seen her. Mick said not to worry about Harley, but Lisa knew she wouldn’t be sleeping well that night. “I want to go back to Sara.”

“She’s long gone, Lisa,” said Leonard. “Just eat your food and get some rest. I’ll be here with you, okay?”

“Can we leave after a few days?”

“We’ll see,” said Leonard. He had to admit, despite the group’s reputation, they knew what they were doing. Their perimeter was guarded around the large warehouse that’d been storing materials for clothing. Candles were scattered around the encampment for light and everyone had a blanket for when the nights grew cold. They didn’t have much water and their food supply was dangerously low... But they were getting by. All that worried him was Lisa. He’d seen girls even younger than her lured to private tents and being given lewd comments. Leonard knew that if any of them put a hand on his sister they’d be getting a bullet between the eyes. 

Leonard made himself comfortable, back against the wall  with Lisa on the floor beside him. He closed his eyes and slept with his hand resting near his gun, ready to fire it if he needed to. He’d have a talk with Mick in the morning. A talk that would have him decided if he would stay or go. 

**TBC**


	4. Four

Sara woke up for the first time in a long time feeling safe. Instead of worrying about Rogues or the Infected attacking her in the middle of the night she’d slept soundly. She changed and left her room. Luckily it was still early enough that there weren’t many people in the bathrooms. She just splashed water on her face then exited while tying her hair up in a messy bun. Thankfully, on her last run with Leonard, she’d found some deodorant. She’d once gone three days without the stuff and she hadn’t been a fan of the experience. 

She walked with a purpose down the hall, her boots practically eating up the floor, and managed a wave to Cisco and Barry who were hunched over a computer. It was strange for Sara, to see technology working, when she’d gone so long without it. 

“Hey!” greeted Barry. “How did you sleep?”

“Better than I have in a long while,” admitted Sara. 

“Have any more thought on staying?” asked Barry, approaching the topic carefully. 

“That depends,” said Sara, looking to Cisco. “You said you were working on a vaccine?”

“Trying to,” said Cisco. “I mean, I’m close.”

“And Wells doesn’t want you working on it,” said Sara. “Why?”

* * *

 

“He thinks its a waste of time, and that we should be focusing more on how to eradicate the zombies once and for all.”

“But, wouldn’t coming up with a vaccine mean that the pills couldn’t turn us? Thus, dwindling their numbers?” asked Sara. “Because we all know some idiots out there could still be taking them.”

“Exactly!” said Cisco. “Thank you!”

“Except,” said a voice that had them both tensing and turning. There was wells, tablet in hand, adjusting his glasses with a pinched look on his face. “The largest issue right now are the zombies themselves. Their bite doesn’t transfer the virus.” He lifted the sleeve of his arm and Sara’s eyes widened when she saw a nasty, healing wound on there “I found that out personally.”

“No, but their bites still kill innocents,” said Sara. 

“Which is why we should be focusing on a way to kill them all. Study their biochemistry and find a way to poison them. The vaccine is a good idea, Cisco, but since the bite doesn’t transfer the virus... It’s also a waste of time. The threat right now aren’t people still taking the pills. If someone is stupid enough to still take them after all of this then its on them. Right now, we need to focus on ending the larger, more menacing threat. Which is why I’ll be taking a call from the President in my office.”

“The President is still alive?” asked Sara. 

“She is. However, her husband and daughter weren’t as lucky.”

Harrison left, leaving the three younger adults alone. Cisco sighed before closing out of a few windows on his laptop. Barry put a hand on his shoulder before speaking. 

“He’s right,” said Barry. “I mean. Until we can get rid of the zombies... We’re all sitting ducks. Nothing will go back to normal until they are all gone.”

“I guess,” said Cisco. “Well, I’m going to go check on Cait in the labs. See if she came up with anything else overnight.” Cisco turned to Sara. “Want to go see the lab?”

“Sure.” Sara looked to Barry. “You coming?”

“Yeah,” said Barry. “We can check out the lab together. Then head to mess for some late breakfast. Then you can meet more of the team.”

“Sounds perfect.”

.

.

.

Lisa sighed while scrubbing out the pot that’d held that morning’s breakfast. She blew a piece of hair out of her eyes then scowled down at the pot that refused to get clean. All around her, men and women were doing chores. Much like her, these people lacked the training in weapons and combat. Sure, she’d killed a zombie here and there, but Len had helped her out a lot. He’d been assigned to help out Mick on some runs for the day, leaving her alone. Considering that Mick took Harley with him, Lisa felt she could relax a little, but the men and woman standing around the perimeter with guns in their hands still made her nervous. What if she wanted to leave? Would they let her? Mick made it pretty clear that everyone stayed within the walls. She felt more like a prisoner than anything else. Also, just because Harley was gone, didn’t meant there weren’t others to take his place in the leering department. She’d taken one of the kitchen knives and had it tucked in her boot. The one thing Lenny always taught her was to be prepared.

“Hey. Lisa, right?” Lisa looked up at the man standing across from her. He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and was scrubbing a similar pot to hers. He offered her a kind smile and she smiled back. “I’m Winn. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a new face.”

“Nice to meet you, Winn,” said Lisa. “And yes. It’s Lisa. So... You don’t get many new people?”

“Used to,” said Winn. “But with things not really changing and food becoming more scarce... Mick hasn’t offered his hand to help a lot lately.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.”

“He’s rough around the edges, but he isn’t all that bad. I mean. Not the worst.”

“Tell me about it,” said Lisa with a frown, tossing her rag down. “So where you from?”

“National City. You?”

“Here,” said Lisa. “This has always been home. National City, huh?”

“Yes. I was here with some friends when the outbreak happened. Alex is the woman over in the nest,” he said, pointing up. Lisa looked up and saw a petite woman holding a sniper rifle. “She’d been tagging along with Kara, James, and I when we came here for a workshop for Catco... Where we all worked.”

“And Kara and James?” asked Lisa. 

“James...” Winn looked away. “James turned. Kara? I don’t know where she is. We got separated. Alex and I tried looking for her but she got hurt and the Rogues found us and took us in. Since then she’s been wanting to stay up there, scanning the streets for any sign of her.”

“All I have is my brother. Leonard. If something were to happen to him... Do you have family here?”

“My father isn’t around. Hasn’t been for a while. My mother passed before the outbreak.”

“Mine, too,” said Lisa. “On both counts.”

“Well... Yay to us for sticking around to watch the world end,” said Winn bitterly. 

“Yeah,” said Lisa, rinsing the pot and setting it up to dry. “Yay us.”

.

.

.

  
"A lot of walking corpses down there, Boss Man,” said Harley, looking at the crowd of zombies through his binoculars. Mick held out his hand and Harley handed them over to him. “But that truck looks like it has stuff in it.”

“Hm, you’re right,” said Mick, scanning the area. “Might be worth the trouble. We just need a way to get over there.”

“I think I have an idea,” said Snart, nodding toward a car dealership across the way. Mick looked to where he was pointing and let out a laugh before clapping his old friend on the back. 

“This is why I’m happy you’re here, Snart. You always knew how to think on your feet. Boys... Time to make some noise.”

“What’s the plan?” asked a younger kid, no more than twenty, shotgun over his shoulder as his serious eyes took in the zombies. 

“You and Adam shimmy down to the dealership and get those alarms going. Then get the hell out of there and meet at the rendezvous point. Harley, Snart, and I will get that truck started and meet you there.”

“You were never that great at boosting cars, Mick,” said Snart. “Remember 2009?”

“That’s why we got Harley here,” said Mick. “He’ll get the job done.”

“So how do you two even know each other?” asked Harley as the other two men started toward the car dealership. 

“Met in Juvie,” said Snart. “Ran some cons and jobs together after to keep the lights on and food on the table.”

“Ah, good times,” said Mick.

The three stood, watching the others get to work. When the alarms started blaring, the walking dead headed toward the sound. Taking it as their cue the three men waited then went down to the street. They rushed to the abandoned truck. Upon further inspection they found that the soda branded truck had soda AND water on the inside. Leonard secured the back while Harley pulled wires out of the dash. Soon, the truck was started, and while Leonard closed himself in the back after making sure there were no zombies inside, Mick rushed to the front to enter the passenger seat. Soon, the three men were riding away with a good weeks supply of water. 

.

.

.

“Here,” said Leonard, handing Lisa a bottle of water then settling next to her. “How was your day?”

“Okay, I guess,” said Lisa with a shrug. “You?”

“Got some water. Found some good food for tonight, too.”

“I suppose I better get to work on that,” said Lisa, standing. “The woman who runs the kitchen is a terror. Doesn’t tolerate people being late.”

“Lisa...”

“Look, Lenny, I’m glad you like it here...” Lisa’s eyes trailed to those guarding the perimeter. They were just barely visible in the dark, the orange glow of burning torches and barrels reflecting off the barrels of their guns and armor. “I just need time still. Okay?”

“Sure,” said Leonard, watching as she walked away. He sighed before taking a long drink of water. He found his mind drifting toward Sara. He hoped she was safe. That she had food in her belly and a safe place to sleep. He frowned while remembering their time together. The look of loneliness in her eyes as they shared a drink and played their card game. He looked up when he heard shouting and got to his feet. His walk to investigate turned into a sprint when he saw Harley cornering his sister near the food tent. It’d been her sister shouting, telling him to leave her alone with the quiver in her voice. Harley had his hand raised, ready to touch her cheek, but Leonard was there to grab him by the scruff of his neck and yank him away. Harley looked ready to fight when Leonard pulled a gun on him. “What did I tell you?”

“Hey, hey, hey there Leonard...” said Harley, speech slurred. He’d been drinking. “Calm down. We were just talking. Isn’t that right, Lisa?”

“Lenny, put the gun down,” said Lisa. 

“I told you to not touch her.” Leonard pulled back the hammer. “MICK told you not to touch her.”

“What’s going on?” demanded Mick as he came into the crowd. “Snart!”

“He had his hands on Lisa. I warned him Mick.”

“Hey, I know, I’ll talk to him. Just chill out.” Leonard slowly lowered his gun and Mick nodded before turning to Harley. “This true?”

“Hey! We all know how it’s run here, Boss. You can’t go changing the rules,” said Harley. 

“The women still consent, Harley. _That’s_ the rule.”

“Now... Mick... I seem to remember a little red head who screamed her little head off for you to-” The sound of the gunshot had everyone shouting and screaming. Mick held a gun in his hand, eyes filled with fire, while Harley lay on the ground with a bullet hole between the eyes. 

“Anyone else have a problem with MY rules?” shouted Mick, a wild look in his eyes as he stared down the crowd. “Because if you DO. You can get the fuck out. NOW!”

Mick headed toward the living tents while quiet murmurs filled the camp. 

“You okay?” asked Leonard as Lisa stared down at the dead man on the ground.

“He killed him,” she whispered, eyes wide. 

“That he did,” said Leonard, frowning. He then looked to Lisa. “You... You still want to go? We can go.”

Lisa shook her head. 

“N-No. No. We can stay.”

.

.

.

Sara stood on the roof of STAR Labs, staring out into the night. She’d seen a few zombies walking around the building, but staying clear of the secured fence. She was tempted to check out that armory again and bring a rifle up here to practice her long-ranged shots. The man who ran the armory, Carter, had been nice enough. His wife, Kendra, had also been nice and a bit warmer and open to conversation as she showed Sara around their training area ranging from target practice for guns to hanging bags to punch the hell out of. Sara shivered as the cool breeze hit her and she wrapped her arms around herself just as the sound of a gunshot rang out. She jumped, whipping her head toward where the shot had come from, well-aware it’d been the Rogue Camp. She didn’t like how close they were and she frowned. She thought of Leonard again, and wished he was there to talk to. She hoped he was doing okay, and that the bullet hadn’t been for him or Lisa. 

“There you are!” Sara looked over her shoulder at Iris and smiled. “Barry and Cisco were looking for you. They wanted to know if you wanted to stretch your legs and go on a run in the morning.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Sara. 

“So, what did you do before all of this?” asked Iris,placing her hand on the raised edge of the roof to stare out into the black city. 

“Bartender,” said Sara, keeping her answer simple. She’d been many things. College Student. Daughter. Sister. Bartender just seemed.... Less personal. “You?”

“Reporter.”

“Ah.”

“Settling in okay?”

“As okay as someone can in this situation,” said Sara, making Iris laugh. 

“Dinner will be ready, soon, if you’re interested. Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce. Not as bad as one might think. Almost tastes like noodles.”

“I’ve never eaten so many vegetables in my life,” said Sara with a laugh. 

“Yeah, well, better than canned baked beans every night,” said Iris, heading for the roof access door. 

“I’ll be down in a minute,” said Sara, still needing some time to herself. Iris nodded and soon Sara was alone again. She looked up at the stars that probably hadn’t been visible in a long time from this spot and sighed before looking back at the Rogue camp. 

She’d go on that run tomorrow... 

And maybe scout out that camp.

Just to make sure Leonard and Lisa were alive and well.

**TBC...**


	5. Five

**Note: I’d started this piece a long time ago. I’ve finally decided to just toss on my writers cap and do my best to tie this all up in a pretty little bow. Thanks for your patience. Enjoy!**

 

“It’s surprisingly quiet this morning.”

“And you had to jinx it,” complained Cisco as the trio rested near a long-forgotten car. They were on their morning run. What Sara had found out was that five teams usually went out every three days to try and replenish what they could not create at the labs. The teams had no more than three people on them. Sara thought it smart. She managed very well on her own. If you had too many people it could complicate things.

“What? No! I mean…”

“So, where do we go after this?” asked Sara.

“Maybe further down fifth?” Cisco sighed. “Really don’t want to. That area is normally infested. But we don’t have much of a choice. Our usual spots are dry. I heard radio scatter of Rogues going there last week. Lost a man to the bite.”

“Shit,” said Sara, standing straight from her crouch. “Well, we could check it out. If it looks too sketchy, we can leave. I can take point, get a good vantage point, and report back.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. That sounds good.”

“Back in a flash,” said Sara with a wink before moving ahead. She continued down the street, blue eyes taking in their surroundings. Barry was right. It was really quiet. Almost like the calm before the storm. Which wasn’t a thought that sat well with her. The sudden uneasiness had her pulling out her knife. She saw an apartment building with a fire escape and so she climbed that, going up to the roof to scope out the rest of the street. There were a few of the infected, but no more than she could handle if things got heated. There were many shops along the way. One of which had been a health food store. Sara nodded, decision made, before gingerly moving back down to the street. “Looks good you two.”

“Sweet. Let’s go! Then get the hell out of here!”

They had no problems going from shop to shop. Sara’s experience being on her own had her able to take care of the dead by making them permanently dead  _very_ quickly. Cisco commented that she moved like a ninja, earning an amused smirk from Sara as she cleaned her blade. They’d just filled their bags to the brim when a ruckus outside caught their attention. All three went to a wall and pressed to it before slinking up to the dingy store-front window to look. There were five men, all armed to the teeth, taking on some walkers.

“Rogues,” whispered Barry.

“Shit.”

“Back way?” asked Cisco.

“I didn’t get a chance to check it,” said Sara. “Not a good idea.”

“Well, it’s the only idea, since they are coming here!”

“Fuck,” said Sara. “Go!”

The three ran to the back just as the five men came in. All three hissed in a breath when seeing the back door locked and chained. Quickly they scanned the area and upon seeing a small office they piled in there, closing and locking the door in the process.

“What do we do?” asked Cisco in a panicked whisper.

“We wait,” said Sara, calmly pulling out her handgun. Something neither of them had been expecting. “What? Always be prepared.”

Muffled voices came through the door and they all tensed, waiting on baited breath for the Rogues to get what they came for and leave. The voices came closer and Sara disabled the safety on her weapon just as a very,  _very_ familiar voice drifted through the door.

“Hurry up! We don’t have all day!”

“Leonard?” whispered Sara, a confused look on her face.

“Hey, who made you boss?” asked one man.

“Mick did. After he shot and killed Harley. Got a problem with it, Chuck?”

“No man, no problem.”

“Then grab that can of corn and let’s go! I don’t want to be here when the sun goes down.”

“You two stay hidden,” said Sara, dropping her pack.

“What? What are you---Sara!” hissed Barry as she unlocked the door and slowly opened it, following the men on their way out the door. No one heard her. All their steps were heavy. The four made it out but Leonard stopped in the doorway. He turned to look back and that was when she came out of hiding. His eyes widened upon seeing her and he took two steps forward before stopping himself.

“Sara?”

“Hey there, Leonard.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Getting some supplies. Same as you.” She looked to the men on the street who were walking away, not yet noticing that Leonard wasn’t with them. “You seem to be doing well.”

“Getting by,” he said, shifting his weight to lean against the doorway, arms crossing in the process. “How about you? Doing okay?”

“I’m managing. As always.”

“Hm. Still an open invitation to come join the Rogues.”

Sara laughed at that, shaking her head in the process. “I don’t think so.”

“They aren’t all bad people, Sara. Some joined because they were down on their luck. Not everyone there is like Harley. Who is dead, by the way.”

“So I hear… How’s Lisa?”

“Fine. She’s fitting in. Misses you, though.”

“Yeah, well…” Sara shrugged. “Just not into the whole group thing.”

“Hm…” Leonard looked outside. “Sun is going down.”

“You better go then.”

“Sara…”

“Be safe, Leonard.”

“You, too,” he answered, looking at her in such an intense way she had to look away. Her attention was brought back to him when he spoke. “I mean it, though. If you ever need help...”

“Thanks,” said Sara with a nod.

He stood there to look at her for just a few more seconds before reluctantly turning away. She watched him rejoin the Rogues then vanish down the street. She backtracked to the office and gave the all-clear, prompting Barry and Cisco to come out.

“What the hell was that?” asked Cisco as Barry handed her her bag.

“Just saying goodbye to an old friend,” said Sara. “Ready?”

“”Yeah,” said Barry, cutting off any questioning Cisco had for Sara. “We’re ready.”

.

.

.

Months passed before they saw each other again. While Sara’s group flourished, the Rogues continued to struggle. Their people were dying and not from just the bites. They were running out of food and water was scarce. Some, wanting to leave Central all together, left to go out on their own. Leonard stuck by Mick, whose temper only grew week after week, making the people doubt him just enough that they always snuck glances toward Leonard before obeying orders. One night, Mick just wordlessly gave Leonard control, the tired lines on his face indicating he was done leading. By that time their group was in a state of emergency made only worse by a breach in their camp. The shouts and screams of those closest to the perimeter alerted everyone else. Those who could fight did so almost valiantly. By the time the breach was taken care of, and the last monster dead, too many lives had already been lost.

“Lenny,” said Lisa, arms around her brother, hugging him tight. “What do we do?”

He didn’t have an answer. But in that moment, someone from the crew came up to him with a cracked radio, saying there was someone on the other end asking for him. He’d known who it was before he even took the radio. He brought it up to his lips, a sense of relief hitting him knowing that she was okay, heading to his private tents for the conversation despite the fact that he knew three other people had the same radio and could be listening in.

“Sara.”

 _“How did you know?”_  she asked, voice laced with the static from the radio.

“A hunch.”

_“I heard gunshots. And screams.”_

“It’s all taken care of,” he said.

_“You and Lisa are okay?”_

“Yes.”

“ _Good_.”

They were silent for a moment before he spoke again.

“I’m not going to lie. Things here could be a lot better.”

_“That’s why I’m reaching out to you.”_

“Oh?”

_“We have a lot to discuss. How about we do it in person?”_

“Why Sara, are you asking me out on a date?”

Sara laughed.  _“Maybe when this is all over with. Until then… How about we meet at the apartment we stayed at that night? Bring Mick.”_

“Not sure Mick is into-”

 _“Not for THAT!”_ Sara huffed and he smiled a true smile. Something he hadn’t done in months.  _“I’m with some people.”_  That confession gained his attention. Sara was with a group? Who were they? What did they offer that had her finally no longer run solo? _“They might be able to help you. Under… Certain conditions. They know the reputation of the Rogues… Had some run-ins with them in the past.”_

“If it makes you feel any better… The Rogues are under new management…  _Me_.”

_“That… That’s good.”_

“Noon. Tomorrow. The apartment. I’ll bring Mick… And Lisa.”

_“And I’ll bring Barry.”_

Who the hell was Barry?!

.

.

.

“So this whole time you’ve been staying at those labs?” asked Mick.

“Some of us, yes,” said Cisco, who insisted on coming to be with his best friend during the potential meeting that could change everything. Consider their group a bunch of bleeding hearts, but after that last attack on the Rogues... They had doctors, cops, and other people who wanted to help. Not hide while others died. The group had taken a vote and about seventy percent and said yes to offering an olive branch. 

“We have power, water, and even gardens full of fruits and vegetables. Fresh. Not canned. We have the room as well as security to keep the infected out.”

“All this time...” Leonard sighed, dirty hand rubbing at his tired face. “All this time and you’ve been...”

“I’m sorry-”

“It wasn’t her fault,” said Barry. “Everything the Rogues had done. No one wanted them around. At first. It was Sara, actually, who got them to consider it.”

“And the conditions?” asked Lisa. “You said you had some.”

“Just one,” said Sara. “Everyone gets along. There’s no violence allowed. We work together, as one unit, to survive.”

“Lenny,” said Lisa, looking to her brother. 

“We will discuss it tonight at dinner. Leave it to a vote like you did.”

“Okay,” said Sara. “I’ll be by the radio.”

.

.

.

“I say we take it over and kick them out!” shouted one Rogue. 

“Kill them all and take what should be ours!” said another, earning some cheers. 

“There will be no killing!” shouted Mick.

“What they are offering will save our asses,” said Lisa. 

“So check your egos at the door,” said Leonard. 

“Boss, Larry here has a point tho. Why not just get in, then take over?”

“Because of what happened last night,” said Leonard. “Our numbers are weak. WE are weak. They’d overpower us easily.”

“So we get in... Get strong... And then-”

_BANG._

The Rogue fell. Dead. On the ground. Some gasped but most didn’t even flinch. Mick was known to shoot those that got out of line. Leonard shot him a disapproving look. Mick just shrugged before playing with the lighter he’d found on their last run. 

“Listen and listen good. You have two options. Come with me and get along with the others---or stay here and rot or turn. Whichever comes first. We leave at first light. If you have a problem with the new rules...” Leonard looked down at the dead ex-Rogue. “Well... You can always join  _him_.”

“Little harsh, Lenny,” said Lisa, after, following him to his tent.

“Necessary. He was causing problems. I want to fix problems, not create more.”

“He was a creep anyway. A lot of the women want to come. Especially those with children. Some of the guys, though... They could be a problem.”

“Mick and I will deal with it. Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay...” Lisa smiled. “I can’t wait until I get to take a shower!”

.

.

.

_“Sara?”  
_

“Hey! How did it go?”

_“We’re in.”  
_

“No trouble?”

_“Any form of trouble has been taken care of.”_

Sara bit her lip at that, looking around. It was late. Not many were still awake. She knew Cisco sometimes monitored conversations but he wasn’t around. She pulled a strand of blonde hair behind her ear before answering. 

“They frown upon that sorta stuff here.”

_“I’m aware. Don’t worry. The Rogues I’m bringing will play nice. The rest will be left behind. Your people will be safe.”_

“Thank you.”

_“No... Thank you. For thinking of us.”  
_

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

_“First light.”  
_

.

.

.

The first two weeks had been the hardest. The people were at odds with one another. Those who didn’t trust the Rogues always kept their distance. Their distaste of helping the Rogues evident on their faces. Some of the Rogues were also still bitter about this all having been here but being forced to live on the streets instead. When they found out about Harry, it’d taken the combined efforts of Leonard, Sara, and Mick to restore order. Harry never walked around the compound on his own after that... Only a few Rogues had been removed from the base after being let in. Kicked out for things like stealing food and even assault. But, after those initial two weeks... Things started to get better. 

The Rogue Winn became good friends with Kara and Cisco. Sharing his computer skills as well as culinary skills---something the two enjoyed a lot. Another heartfelt moment had been when the Rogue Alex had walked in---the long lost sister to Kara. Sending a pang in Sara’s heart thinking about Laurel. 

There had been other reunions. Other stories swapped that had everyone starting to see each other as people. The melding of two factions into one grew even more complete when Rogues were invited to go on runs.. Or asked if they wanted to help in the gardens. An honest to God colony had been formed.

A home. 

“Look what I found today.”

Leonard looked up from his book to Sara, who was standing in his doorway with a bottle of scotch. He smirked as she shook the almost full bottle while holding up a deck of cards. He motioned her to enter and made room for her on his bed while setting his book aside. 

“And it isn’t even my birthday,” he said as she passed him the bottle. 

“Cisco was picking up some chatter. Sounds like the military. They might actually be starting to clean this mess up.”

“Here’s hoping.”

Sara passed out cards for a hand of gin. It was their routine at night. One found the other and either they played cards or told old stories of their lives before the infected took over. In a way it was a dance. He wanted her. She wanted him. But neither took that step. The world was in too crazy of a state... and the both of them could only handle so much crazy. But... This night was different. Sara wasn’t sure if it was the positive news of the military or the scotch... but there was a buzz. Something she couldn’t ignore. So when their hands brushed and he went to pull away she tightened her hand around his. He hesitated a moment, his blue eyes imploring, before he slowly tightened his grip as well. 

“I’m not sure about what the future may bring for me... or you... but...” He placed his other hand over their joined ones. “I’d like to think it has us... Together.”

“Hm... I can see it now,” she said, bracing her free elbow on her knee, holding her slightly swimming head in her palm. “House, kids... Maybe a dog?”

They looked at each other then laughed. When the laughter died away, their hands were still together, his thumb gliding over her knuckles. She bit her bottom lip before looking up at him through her lashes. 

“I’m glad I ran into you, Leonard.”

“Me, too. You saved mine and Lisa’s asses.”

“Yeah,  _that_ , but...” She smiled. “Can’t imagine this world without you it.”

“Good.”

**END**


End file.
